Are you aspiring to become a writer, but don't know what it entails, how to approach it, or even where to begin? In compelling-yet-simple terms, this one-of-a-kind book offers the guidance you need to do all that and more. Following the successful and increasingly popular concept of D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself), "$30 Writing School" is designed to get you up and running on the process for organizing, writing, selling and promoting your own books. You'll find it pleasantly easy to relate to author Michael W. Dean, who is a product of the "indie" revolution as a proven author, filmmaker, and musician himself. His unique style offers an edgier approach that you don't find in your typical "how to write" book. Written in a conversational tone, techniques and explanations are liberally spliced with Dean's personal accounts and stories. You'll learn specific elements of how to get published including how to write a proposal, get an agent, get a publisher, and work through mainstream outlets. From the author's perspective of having done it himself, self-publishing is explained and encouraged, from Quark layout, to working with a printer, to getting press and distribution. "$30 Writing School" accompanies two successful others of its kind, "$30 Music School" (1-59200-067-3) and "$30 Film School" (1-59200-171-8), both published by Course Technology PTR. This incomparable do-it-yourself approach to becoming a writer is realistic, straightforward, and inspiring.
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About the Author
Michael W. Dean is a true multimedia artist. He is the director of the films D.I.Y. OR DIE: How to Survive as an Independent Artist and HUBERT SELBY JR: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow. He toured the United States and Europe in 2002 and 2003 with D.I.Y. or DIE and recently debuted HUBERT SELBY JR: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow at the Deauville (France) American Film Festival. A prolific author, Dean's previous books include $30 Music School and $30 Writing School, as well as the critically acclaimed novels Starving in the Company of Beautiful Women and The Simple Pleasures of a Complex Girl. He also co-wrote the book Digital Music DIY Now!, and he contributes to MAKE Magazine. Dean has been interviewed on NPR, BBC radio, and PBS, and was featured on NBC, VH1, and in Variety Magazine. He lectures at colleges, museums, and youth centers throughout America and Europe. Dean has always been interested in art -- before embarking on writing/filmmaking, he was the lead singer of Bomb (Warner Brothers). They released four albums.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
$30 Writing School, Smart, Interesting and a Pleasure to Read,
By Scott Ligon (Cleveland Ohio) - See all my reviews
This review is from: $30 Writing School (Paperback)
Reading Michael Dean's $30 series of books is like going to a smart, interesting friend that knows a lot about a subject and saying "Tell me what I need to know about (X)".
In this case (X) =writing , and the book in question is "$30 Writing School." The book covers an overview of grammar and spelling. It covers software, and the way it's used professionally. The book covers the do's and don'ts of inquiries, outlines, and actual writing, with a eye towards publication. Michael tells you exactly how he did it, in interesting anecdotal detail. It `s not easy to write what is essentially a technical manual in a way that is personally revealing, but that is the unique quality found in Michael Dean's non-fiction. When I want an overview of a subject, I want an expert with an opinion. I want someone smart and knowledgeable to tell me, "Do this, then do this, don't do this, avoid this". After I gain knowledge and experience, of course, I can draw my own conclusions. After reading this book, I had all the basic knowledge I needed to write a book proposal, solicit it for publication, and to make sure I had an understanding of the structure and process involved in every aspect of actually writing the book. Michael does it in a conversational tone, filled with examples of personal experience, that is truly entertaining . I found myself amused and interested to the point that I would forget that I was actually obtaining knowledge as well. Another unique aspect of Michael Dean's non-fiction writing is that there is a strong philosophical undercurrent, and this book is no exception. The written word is the most powerful tool for initiating change that the world has ever known. It can inspire, clarify, enlighten and motivate. $30 Writing School reminds us of this, and Michael Dean's words themselves inspire, clarify, enlighten and motivate. The book addresses the specifics but it never looses sight of the big picture which, oddly, is a rarity in instructional writing. The books tells us HOW to write, but it reminds us of WHY we write as well.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good - and better than most writing books,
This review is from: $30 Writing School (Paperback)
Just finished this book about an hour ago.
First, I'm deducting one star because I think Michael and team did a poor job on copy-editing, photos and consistency. I also didn't care much for some of his whining and endless references to his hotties. Technically, he had a few portions wrong with some of the software and the whole Travel chapter was a big waste of space. If this all gets fixed in a 2nd printing, I'll come back and up it to 5. But a BIG, BIG 4 STARS for being probably the best practical book out there on writing books. I've read dozens of these books, from the Dummies ones to big fat ones. Michael does a MUCH better job of explaining a lot of the ins and outs of getting a book done. He dispels myths well too - not with his section on dispelling myths, but throughout the book, like: you MUST ONLY submit snail mail proposals. I did enjoy a lot of the personal touch and real-world experience he brings to the table. He shows you the tools to use and guides on how to use them. I don't think any other book I've read has shown a screenshot of a Windows folder with .doc icons for each chapter. Simple as that may seem, that one picture helped me visualize the process much more. Almost every chapter had me wanting to immediately read the next one. The CD-ROM, while a bit scattered, is fantastic. No other book includes something like this that I've seen. To see rejection letters, Quark layouts, etc. uncomplicates the whole process. As for the value proposition of writing be primarily art, he spends a lot of time telling you that you probably won't get rich. In one of the interviews, the interviewee stated that he had to pay $6,000,000 (yep, six million smackaroos) in income taxes. I'm trying to imagine what his actual income was. I think Michael may want to spend more time in a v2 (not a 2nd printing) explaining the possible economics of book writing. For example, if you write one book per year for 3 years that each makes $10,000 per year, at the end of year 3 you will have made $60,000, or an average of $20,000/year. The finances have to make sense for someone to dive into writing with all their heart and soul - not all of us want to live on Top Ramen forever. All in all, I would highly recommend you buy both this book and any other book on writing around it. Read the other one first. Then read this one. You will find Michael's book is LEAPS AND BOUNDS AND EVEN MORE LEAPS above the competition.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
$30 Writing School Review,
This review is from: $30 Writing School (Paperback)
The Digital Age does more than just inspire writers, it gives them the tools they need to write, self-publish, and self-promote their books, zines, comics, etc. All one needs is a computer, copy machine or copy service, and a thick skin (to handle the rejection letters and well-meaning criticisms from friends and family).
Michael W. Dean, author of $30 Writing School (as well as $30 Film School and $30 Music School) is a proponent of the do-it-yourself school. Just check out his documentary D.I.Y. or Die and aforementioned books. However, he is insistent in warning people that just because one can self-publish, doesn't mean one should. Too often, new writers skip the editing process in their eagerness to get their work before the public before it's ready. Still, writers are often sensitive about their work and don't want to be told that they can't write so Michael Dean is positive yet pragmatic. He does not promise you will be able to quit your day job or that you will be an instant overnight success by reading his book. He does not tell you that you won't have to work at your craft and rules be damned. What he does give you are the fundamental rules on writing and the tools with which to work. But Michael Dean gives you more, much more, and I'm not just talking about the CD-rom at the back of the book which is chock full of examples throughout the book -- book proposals, rejection letters (yes, they're a fact of a writer's life), and other goodies. What I like about Dean is that he doesn't ask you to do what he probably wouldn't do himself. He's been through the process and he knows what usually works and what doesn't. (This also depends on whom you're working with.) The book is broken down into sections like building blocks, starting with why you want to write, to the basic fundamentals of writing, to the tools needed to make your job easier, to publishing, promoting, and touring. No aspect of writing is left out. I've seen a lot of books on writing that tell you how to get published but don't mention one iota about self-marketing or self-promotion, if you should ever find yourself in that situation. All chapters are written in Dean's easy-going, conversational style, which makes it a pleasant, easy read. There are no pretenses here. Even when Michael Dean admits he might be utilizing a little more moxie than usual when he uses his own life or work as an example, it's not because he thinks he's better than anybody else but because he believes in himself and, in turn, he wants you to believe in yourself. So, pick up a copy of $30 Writing School, type that novel that's been sitting in the back of your subconscious, and then get it out there (after editing, rewriting, and proofing, of course). Use Michael Dean's book as a guide and learn that even if you self-publish or get lucky enough to have an agent and a publisher, quality really does matter and so does a positive attitude.
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